Electric switch



April 24, 1928; 1,667,247

J. J. EGAN ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed March 25. 1926 lawenl r;

Jbhm, JEWJDJ Patented Apr; 24, 1928. I

UNITED STATES JOHN J. EGAN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM L. COLLIENE, 013

PATENT ol-"rl'cs.

nos'ron; massacnusnrrs.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed March 25, 1926. Serial No. 97,272.

The object of this invention is the construction of means for automatically cutting out electric current from an instrumentality when the latter is put into a'position not normal thereto; and particularly to an electricall'y heated flat-iron when the same is turned upon its heel. have found to give the best results is the force of gravity actingupon a loosely hinged contact member, where y during the nor mal operative position of the iron, the contact members are in touch, and thereby switches current to theheater element, but when the iron is stood upon its heel, the first contact member swings out of touch, and the current is cut out. w

in the drawings forming part of this specification, Fig. 1 is a side view of-a flatiron stood upon its heel and thereby having the cufrent'cut out therefrom, the view being partially in section. Fig. 2 is a side view of the gravity switch alone and with its contact members in touch. Fig. 3 is "a top view of the same. Fig. 4c is a perspective view on a somewhat magnified scale showing the contact members out of touch.

When this gravity switch is applied to an electrically heated fiat-iron, as 1, which isprovid-ed with feet 2 at its heel upon which to be stood when not being used, theiron 'body 3 isrecessed, preferably at its heel-end, and within this recess 4 is located the switch. The switch consists of an elbow 5 suitably fastened in place, as by a screw 6, but insulated from the body 3, and carrying two carminals 7 spaced "from each other and each consisting of a small block of compressed carbon. Each terminal is held in place by a small bolt 9 insulated from the elbow 5 and provided with two nuts 19 both for at taching the block thereto and for holding a lead wire in the circuit of the heater ele-- ment.

At the outer ed e of the elbow 5 are two eyes llbetween w ich is looselypivoted an eye 12 of a plate 13 fastened to an elongated block 14, which is also composed of comressedcarbon or graphite, and is weighted y a meta-1 block 15 attached thereto by a en the fiat-iron 1s being the elon- The means which 1 gated block 14 rests against the two terminals .7 and thereby completes the circuit through them, as shown in Fig. 2; but whenthe iron is stood on end, as shown in Fig. 1, the elongated block 14 swings away 'from the terminals 7 and the circuit is broken.

I prefer the compressed graphite or'carbon for the parts 7 and 14: because of the elimination of sparking, and also because there can be no corrosion of the surfaces, as

occurs'with metals.

It should be noted that the contact block 14 is not directly beneath the pivotal axis,

11, 12, but is so far away from a vertical plane in said axis as to bring the centre of gravity of the block at an angle in a plane lying in this axis of approximately fortyfive degrees. Thus disposed, the action of gravity upon the block forces it against the contacts 7 with greatly increased pressure as compared with a block suspended from a point in the same vertical plane with the outer surfaces of the contacts. ihis is very important, for were the pivot located as last described, the reciprocation of the fiat-iron during use would act to frequently swing the block lawayirom the contacts '2' and cause injurious sparking.

What I claim as my invention is:

In a gravity switch for electric irons having a heel rest, the combination with the flat iron, of a vertical plate attached to the fiat iron, two spaced insulated contacts attached to said plate, a second plate having an angularly' disposed flange hinged at its edge to the upper edge of said vertical plate, and a single elongated contact member tached to the second plate to normally rest against said spaced contacts, the latter being terminals in the heater circuit of the iron, whereby the center of gravity of second plate and its contact member is man terially beyond a vertical plane through said hinge, andgravity cannot break the circuit until the flat iron is tipped nearly upon. heel rest.

Intestimony that i claim the foregoing invention, 1 have hereunto set by hand this 2 th day of March, 1926.

JOHN J. 

